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House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	February 23, 2021 10:29 AM
From:	Representative Liz Hanbidge
To:	All House members
Subject:	COVID-19 Pandemic - Legislation to Provide Emergency Relief to Livestock Feed Sellers and Producers

As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread implications on all facets of daily life and has impacted nearly every resident of our country. In this time of social distancing and uncertainty, many Pennsylvania residents and businesses are faced with the prospect of financial hardship, including those in our agricultural community. Livestock producers spend countless hours breeding, raising, and feeding animals to ensure that the food products that so many of us take for granted are available each day. Many of these producers, along with those who supply them with feed for their livestock, are faced with a financial dilemma because while their income may have slowed down or been cut off altogether during these difficult times, their operational costs have remained the same. In an effort to provide some relief to farmers and others who rely on livestock to make ends meet each day, I will be introducing legislation that would establish a special fund under our state’s Agriculture Rapid Response Disaster Readiness Account to provide grants to livestock feed sellers and producers. Specifically, this legislation would allocate funding from the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund, more commonly referred to as the “Rainy Day Fund,” to ensure that those who breed, raise, and feed livestock receive the funding they so desperately need. Agriculture plays an integral role in Pennsylvania, so I believe it is incumbent on each of us to do our part to provide financial relief to this industry to help it cope with the current economic slump being experienced as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I hope you will join me in support of this important measure.

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